Island Embrace

August 29, 2013

Spending an extended amount of time in a foreign environment is a very telling experience. It doesn’t take long before you start realizing what you need and perhaps more importantly, what you don’t need. After one or two legs of the journey, your bags are lighter, your routine is dialed, and a kindle is your only companion. While away, normalcies such as drinks with friends get replaced by drinks with strangers. And that’s just fine. If not for the embrace of the separation, it would not offer that familiar tingle of being somewhere different. Somewhere unlike home.

Over the last two months, I’ve been working on a project in Puerto Rico, or America’s 51st state. An island with two flags and two languages, it was much further out than I expected. Embrace was the only option. For a person from the northern colonies, island life takes a little getting used to. A lot less gas and a little more left pedal. The days are long and the waters are warm, I didn’t fight it.

A steady supply of local rum, work and distractions managed to keep me adrift and curious. Admittedly, this island swap also created a lull in contribution to this forum, albeit a steady stream of posts to instagram. And while an obvious supporter of the whole internet thing, sometimes it’s healthy to live outside the lens for a while. Returned, ready and refreshed, I’m looking forward to some new things in the works and to dust off a few things from the past. For now, here are a few snaps from San Juan.